Virat Kohli has heaped praise on Dinesh Karthik after the latter’s magnificent form in IPL 2022 helped Royal Challengers Bangalore secure another crucial win, this time against Delhi Capitals by 16 runs on Saturday (April 16). Kohli has also said this is Karthik’s best version since IPL 2013.
It has been a fairytale story for Dinesh Karthik in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The 36-year-old returned to his former franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) after being picked at INR 5.5 crore at the 2022 mega-auction. It did pay rich dividends, as Karthik has retransformed himself into a finisher.
So far in six innings, Karthik was dismissed only once. He has aggregated 197 runs already at a stupendous strike rate of 209.57, and his latest knock of 66 not out off 34 balls, laced with five sixes and as many fours, helped his side beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by 16 runs in the Match 27 of the ongoing edition at Wankhede Stadium. Karthik was fittingly adjudged Player of the Match for his valiant efforts.
In a video posted on the IPL website, Virat Kohli was seen interviewing Karthik after the DC match. Kohli thanked Karthik for guiding the Red and Gold Brigade to a challenging total after they were reduced to 92/5 against the DC. The former RCB skipper also claimed that it has been Karthik’s best IPL season since 2013.
“I am here with the man of the moment, ‘Man of the IPL’ for me so far. It’s been wonderful. I won’t even say ‘long may it continue’ because it will and you’re in that of space and I can see that. It was an honour to watch you bat again. Thanks for getting us across the line. This is the best I have seen you bat since IPL 2013,” Kohli said in the video.
Karthik, who last played for India at the 2019 World Cup, then said that he had set a long term and a short term goal to make an India comeback in the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Australia later this year.
“There is a small term goal and there’s a bigger vision as well. The small-term goal is to obviously do very well for RCB. I think credit to the RCB backroom staff. The day I got picked Sanjay bhai (Bangar) called me and said ‘DK you’ll be playing the finisher’s role’. We have lost out on AB, we can’t replace him with anybody half as good. We need 2-3 players to do that role’. He is that good,” Karthik recalled.
“Then I took it upon myself to figure out that ‘okay, this is what I want to do’. “The bigger vision is that I want to play for the country. I know there is a World Cup around the corner. I want to be part of that World Cup desperately and help India cross that line.”
With four wins from six matches, the RCB sit third on the points table. They will next meet Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday (April 19) at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai.
